Gas flow rate indicating and controlling system



Feb. 7, 1961 W. R. JONES ET AL GAS FLOW RATE INDICATING AND CONTROLLIG SYSTEM Filed Dec. 5, 1958 WILLIHM R. TUNES yELTsrl-Fnf BERESDM 'ATTORN EY LUnited States Patent@ GAS FLOW RATE INDICATING AND CONTROL- LING SYSTEM William R. Jones, New Britain, and Gustav Bergson, Jenkintown, Pa.; said Jones assgnor to Manufacturers Engineering and Equipment Corporation, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 777,900

1 Claim. (Cl. 73-199) This invention relates to systems for precisely controlling and indicating extremely low rates of gas ow.

For certain purposes, such as in chemical processes andthe like, -it is often desirable to provide a means for controlling and indicating the flow rate of a gas being used. Systems for accurately controlling and indicating relatively high rates of ow have heretofore been provided; however no suitable means adapted for industrial use has been disclosed for providing an accurate and economical means for indication and control of very low rates of gas ow, such as on the order of 1 cubic centimeter per minute (1 cc./min.).

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved system for accurately indicating and controlling low rates of gas flow.

It is another object of vthis invention to provide an improved system for accurately indicating and controlling the ilow rate of a gas at rates on the order of 1 cc./min.

In accordance with the invention the gas ow is controlled at a constant low rate of ow by passing the gas through a differential pressure regulator of a conventional type adapted to regulate higher rates of flow such as on the order of 100 cc./min. Due to mechanical tolerances such regulators are highly unstable for controlling lower rates of ow on the order of l cc./min. The gas stream from the regulator is then separated into two parallel paths: one path through a tine needle valve and a conventional owmeter of the type having a tapered tube and a float; and a second path through a second valve. The regulator is connected to maintain the pressure across the tine needle valve constant, so that this valve may be adjusted to a desired low rate of flow, such as on the order of l cc./min., the iiow rate will be maintained constant. The second valve is then set so that the amount of gas passed thereby will raise the total ow rate through the regulator suiiiciently to insure stable operation thereof.

Flowmeters ofthe type having a tapered tube and a oat are commercially available for indicating gas flow rates from about to 50 cc./min. However, where the flow rates to be measured are from zero to 5 cc./min., the indications on such meters are compressed to a small portion of the indicator scale, and it is impossible to obtain an accurate reading. The pressure at the outlet ports of these meters is commonly in the neighborhood of atmospheric pressure. v

Further in accordance with this invention it has been found that by reducing the pressure at the outlet port below atmospheric, the indicator range is expanded by approximately the inverse of the square root of the absolute pressure measured in atmospheres. In other words, if the pressure at the outlet port is reduced to about a hundredth of atmospheric pressure then the flow meter reading of approximately on the 50 cc./min. rate of gas ow.

The novel features that are considered to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both 2,970,472 Patented` Feb. 7, 1961 ICC as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the sole ligure of which is a simplified flow diagram of a gas ow rate indicating and controlling system embodying the invention. v

The gas ow rate indicating and controlling system shown in the drawing is used in conjunction with a system for detecting the quantity of water present in a gas. The water detecting element 10 comprises an extremely sensitive means for detecting the water content of a gas in a few parts per million by absorption and electrolysis of water from a gas iiow stream. The heart of the water detecting element 10 is an electrolysis cell, which draws an electrical current as a function of the amount of water electrolyzed. The current drawn bythe electrolysis cell is indicated on a measuring apparatus 11 including a meter which may be calibrated to read water in parts per million. The measuring apparatus also includes the power supply for the electrolysis cell.

It has been found that where the water detecting element 10 is used in a gas stream moving at 100 cc./min; and containing on the order of 20,000 parts per million (ppm.) of Water, the water detecting element fails after a short period of use. It has also been found that the life of the water detecting element can be greatly increased by reducing the total quantity of water to be absorbed from the gas stream. This may be done by reducing the rate of ow of gas past the water absorbing element, and in lthe present case the desired rate of iiow is on the order of 1 cc./min. However, in order to determine the water content of the gas from the readings of the water detector 10, it is necessary to know the ilow rate of the gas. The system described herein aifords a simple and accurate means for indicating and controlling gas iiow rates o-n the order of 1 cc./min. It will be understood that the flow rate indicating and controlling system of the invention is not restricted to use with the water detecting element described above, but is generally useful for indicating and controlling very low rates of gas ow.

Gas from the source whose water content is to be measured is passed through a Teflon filter 12 to remove dust or other particles which might impair the operation of the gas flow regulating apparatus or the water detecting element. After passing through the iilter 12, the gas is passed through an adjustable differential regulator 14, the water detecting element 10, and a line needle valve 16 in the order named. Thepneedle valve, which may be a vaporizing valve generally of the type described in the copending application of Gustav Bergson tiled May 2, 1958, Serial Number 732,583 and entitled Vaporizing Valve, is adjusted to establish the desired rate of gas flow through the water detecting element 10. 'Ihe adjustable diiferential regulator 14 serves the purpose of maintaining a constant pressure across the needle valve 16 and water detecting element 10, to maintain the gas flow at the desired rate. Any suitable adjustable differentialregulator may be used such as those of the type wherein the differential pressure between the inlet port of the water detecting element 10 and the outlet port of the needle'valve 16 is used to control a diaphragm which in turn controls the gas ow through the regula-tor. To illustrate, as the pressure drop across the water detecting element 10 and needle valve 16 increases due to an increased rate of flow, the adjustable differential regulator diaphragm operates to impede the ow of gas therethrough so that the gas ow rate will be maintained at a constant value.

From the needle valve 16, the gas is passed through a conventional owmeter 18 for measuring relatively arresta low rates of gas ow. An example of such a owmeter is the type having a tapered tube 18a with a float 18b which is commercially available under the trade name Flow BatQrS., manufactured by Fisher and Portef .C- These meters are capable of indicating gas lflow rates However, xii/here the ilow rates to be measured are o n the order= o f l ccJmin, as in. the present case, the indications are compressed to such a small portion of thewindicator scale that an accurate reading is impossible to obtain. It" will be noted that an error of 0.5 cc./rn.in. where the desired ow rate is l cc./min. is a 50% error, land results in a corresponding error in the water content indication. The term on the order of 1 cc./min. as used in this application designates flow rates from Q-lO cc./min.

' In accordance with this invention, it has been found that instead of maintaining the outlet port of the owmeter 18 at pressures near atmospheric as has been the usual practice,`theindic`ator range may be expanded by reducing ythe'pressure "at the outlet port. The expansion ofthe vindicator scale was found to be approximately inversely'proportional to the square root of the absolute pressure measured in atmospheres. To illustrate, when the outlet port pressure or the owmeter 18 is reduced to about 1/100 of an atmosphere, then the full scale reading of 43 cc./min. lindicates a ilow rate of 4.3 cc./rnin. of the `gas at atmospheric pressure through the water detecting element lil. By Calibrating the meter when a given partial vacuum is maintained at the outlet port thereof, a scale may be provided so that the gas flow vrate through the water detecting element 1t) may be read directly.

The desired pressure is maintained at the outlet port of the flowmeter 1S, by a vacuum regulator 20, which is connected between the ilowmeter and a vacuum pump 22. A vacuum gauge 24 is connected across the vacuum .regulator to lprovide an indication of the actual pressure in inches of water existing at the outlet port of the ilowmeter 18.

The vacuum Vpump maintains a vacuum of nearly 0 inches of water at .the outlet side of the regulator 2i). The regulator 20 which is of the same constructionV as the regulator 14 is connected so that a constant pressure differential is maintained thereacross'. This pressure differential is measured by the gauge 24. The vacuum gauge 24 consists of a conventional bellows type pressure gauge connected to the inlet side of the regulator 2t). The gauge 24 is enclosed in a chamber 25 which is evacuated to approximately() inches of Water by the vacuum pump 22, and the gauge scale is calibrated to read in inches of water. By adjusting the regulator 20 and observing the reading on the vacuum gauge 24, the pressure at the outlet port of the flowmeter 1S may be set to the desired value.

Due to mechanical instability, the adjustable differential regulator 14 will not maintain a constant pressure across the water detector 1li) and vaporizing valve 16 over long periods of time. Thisl is `because the mechanical rtolerances of the regulator 14 are such that slight movements of a gas low controlling ydiaphragm contained therein for ow rates on the order yof l cc./min. do not necessarily produce proportional changes in flow rates. In order to ,operate the regulator 14 at a vrate of gas ow at which this regulator does exhibit stable operating characteristics, a bypass line including a valve 26 and a owmeter 28 is provided in parallel with the water detecting element 10, needle valve 16 and owmeter 18. The bypass valve 26 is set to perm-it gas to flow therethrough at a rate of about 10Q cc./min., at which the regulator will exhibit stable long term operation.

The bypass line Ailfllul,.ing the valve 26 and owmeter 28 provide the additional advantage of permitting the ses lin the feed `line t0 ,reach the Water detecting @lement l() much more quickly. This is because Aflow rates on the order of l cc./rnin. are very slow, and a change in the water content of the gas at the main supply point would not be noticed quickly since a certain time would be required to use up the gas inthe measuring system pipe line to the water detecting element lil. However, with the bypass line the gas ilow up to the water detecting element 10 moves at a ilow rate on the order of l cc./r`nin. and thereby greatly reduces this time lag.

In order to calibrate the ow rate controlling system, the bypass line is cut-oir. The regulator 14 is manually adjusted to 'maintain the indicated tlow rate on the owmeter 18l at a given value. The amount of gas passing `through the system is measured at the outlet port of the vacuum regulator 20 by any suitable means so that the lgas ow rate through lthe water detecting element 10 can be calculated.` If the flow rate as measured and calculated'atv the outlet port of the vacuum regulator differs from the ilow rate as indicated on the llowmeter 18, then the vacuum at the outlet port at the owmeter may be adjustedy so that the iiowmeter calibration will indicate the actual tlow rate through the water detecting element 1,0 for .the given gas to be controlled under the operating conditionsV in which the ilow rate controlling 'and Yindicating system must operate.

`What is claimed is: A

A gas flow controlling and indicating system comprising a differential pressure regulator, means'for passing gas through said regulator, a ne needle valve and a flowmeter of the type including a tapered tube and a iloat connected -in `series to receive a portion of the gas from `said regulator, said ne needle valve adjustable to restrict the ow rate of gas therethrough to rates on the order of 1 cc./minute, means providing a bypass valve also connected to receive gas from said regulator in parallel with ysaid fine needle valve and owmeter, said byF pass valve means adjustable to provide a total flow rate through said regulator at which said regulator exhibits stable operation, said regulator being connected to maintain a constant pressure across said needle valve, and means for maintaining a partial vacuum at the outlet ports of said owmeter and said bypass valve, the indication on said ilowmeter being expanded by a factor approximately proportional to an inverse function of the vacuum at said outlet ports measured in atmospheres.

Rotameters, Schutte and Koerting Company, Bulletin No. 18-R, March 1939, pp-l8056-57-58. 

